Tesla Posts 22% China Sales Jump and 68% Export Surge in May

Benzinga reported Monday that Tesla China sales climbed sharply in May, driven by a 22.6% year-on-year rise in retail volumes and a near-doubling of export activity from its Shanghai plant.

Tesla China Sales Hit 47,821 Units in May

Data from the China Passenger Car Association showed Tesla moved 47,821 vehicles through retail channels last month. That compares to 38,588 units in May 2025. The figures were highlighted on social platform X by EV data tracker Tsla Chan. Wholesale numbers, which include vehicles destined for both domestic buyers and overseas markets, reached 85,982 units for the month.

CEO Elon Musk has been working to reverse a prolonged sales softness in China, where local competitors have aggressively cut prices. The May figures suggest that effort is gaining traction.

Also Read: BYD Reports May Sales Recovery as Overseas Demand Jumps 80%

Export Surge Points to Europe Push

Tesla’s export volumes from China climbed 68% to 38,701 units compared to just 23,074 units shipped in May 2025. The spike aligns with a broader recovery in Tesla’s European performance. French registrations reportedly soared more than 655% to 5,446 vehicles. Sweden saw a 71% rise to 858 units. Gains in Denmark reached 136%, pushing sales there to 1,750. Spain added 113%, landing at 1,690 units.

The European numbers suggest Tesla is rebuilding momentum in a region where it had ceded ground to both legacy automakers and Chinese entrants.

Background: A Difficult Stretch for Tesla in China

Tesla’s Shanghai gigafactory has been a critical production hub since opening in late 2019. For much of 2024 and early 2025, the company faced mounting pressure in China from rivals including BYD, Li Auto, and Nio. Aggressive domestic price cuts forced Tesla to respond with its own promotional moves. Sentiment around the brand was also complicated by Musk‘s public political activities, which drew consumer backlash in some Western markets and created uncertainty among Chinese buyers.

Some market observers have pointed to external factors potentially supporting EV demand more broadly. Investor Ross Gerber, cited by Benzinga, suggested rising fuel costs linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East may be nudging consumers toward electric alternatives.

Tesla Shares Edge Higher on the Data

TSLA shares were up around 1.3% in premarket trading Monday, touching $396.20. The stock has faced a volatile year, with Benzinga’s own ranking tools flagging weak price trends across short, medium, and long timeframes despite strong grades for growth and quality fundamentals. Whether May’s operational data can shift that technical picture will depend on whether the momentum carries into June deliveries.

Read Next: Tesla Rival BYD Breaks Months-Long Sales Slump as Overseas Demand Surges 80%